Feeding devices for textile machines

ABSTRACT

A device for feeding empty bobbins to a conveyor carrying hooks for gripping the bobbins, has means for orienting the empty bobbins for gripping by the conveyor hooks and an element tiltable between a position to receive an oriented bobbin and a position to present same to a hook.

0 United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,863,751 Vignon Feb. 4, 1975 FEEDINGDEVICES FOR TEXTILE 3,001,632 9/l96l Bell 198/33 AA I 3223:; i122? AA e[75] Inventor: Louis Vignon, Geneva, Switzerland [73] Assignee:l-leberlein Hispano S.A.,

Primary Exammer--Evon C. Blunk vernler Gen eva Swltzerland AssistantExaminerJeffrey V. Nase [22] Filed: Feb.'20, 1973 Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper 211 App]. No.: 333,472 &

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 25, 1972 Luxembourg 6484i[57] ABSTRACT A device for feeding empty bobbins to a conveyor car- [52]rying hooks for gripping the bobbins, has means for 51 I Cl 6 47 52orienting the empty bobbins for gripping by the conq 5 57/53 veyor hooksand an element tiltable between a posi- 1 0 l tion to receive anoriented bobbin and a position to References Cited present same to ahook.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 2,853,108 9/1958 Hait198/27 PATENTED'FEB 191s SHEET 2 [1F 4 1 FEEDING DEVICES FOR TEXTILEMACHINES The present invention relates to feeding devices for emptybobbins; and, more'particularly, to such devices useful in automaticbobbin changing apparatus for replacing the bobbins in textile machineswith spindle ranges, such as continuous spinning frames.

Automatic bobbin changing apparatus of the class described comprise anendless conveyor belt supported by means arranged along each spindlerange, the conveyor carrying gripping hooks spaced atregular distancescorresponding to the distances between the spindles of the spindlerange, each gripping hook being equipped for cooperating with a grippinghead provided at the upper end of each bobbin; and a loading station isequipped so that the gripping head of an empty bobbin is presented toeach gripping hook pass-' ing at its level. In such apparatus, theloading station must be supplied with empty bobbins during the entireduration of the operation of loading one section of the endless conveyorwith empty bobbins.

Particular attention is drawn to the fact that, during the operation offeeding the section of the conveyor with empty bobbins, the endlessconveyor is generally in continuous movement, and the empty bobbins arepresented to the gripping hooks carried by the conveyor and passing onthe level of the loading station while they are immobile.

The position in which these empty bobbins are presented to the hooks isvery important for if improperly presented, after gripping of anemptybobbin, the same begins to swing which can cause unhooking and fallingof the bobbin Furthermore, the relative position between the grippinghooks and the gripping head of each empty bobbin presented must berelatively precise for, if the gripping hooks pass under the grippingheads, the empty bobbin is submitted to a shock which could easilyinduce swinging of the same.

As far as this relative position between the gripping hooks and thegrippinghead of each empty bobbin presented is concerned, attention isalso drawn to the fact that the support of the endless conveyor mayshift vertically between its feeding position at the level of theloading station and various other positions which occur during theautomatic bobbin changing operation. In view of the dimensions which thebobbin changing apparatus can reach, its inertia makes it difficultalways to achieve immobilization of the conveyor at the same level inthe feeding position, and variations of this level of the order ofseveral millimeters may be noted. Under these conditions, the feedingdevice must be able to compensate for these variations in the level ofthe support of the endless conveyor when the same is brought into itsfeeding position.

Thus, the present invention is concerned with a feeding device.especially adapted to an automatic bobbin changing apparatus with anendless conveyor and bobbin gripping hooks, and contributes a feedingdevice which reduces to a minimum the swinging tendency of the emptybobbins after gripping.

I also intend, by the present invention, to provide a feeding device inwhich the relative position between the gripping hooks and the grippinghead of each'empty bobbin is always the same, regardless of thevariations in the level of the support of the endless conveyor about itsfeeding position.

Thus, the feeding device according to the present invention comprisesmeans for setting'the bobbins upright so that the empty bobbins are fedwith their gripping heads directed upwardly, and is characterized inthat a tiltable element mounted on a swivelling shaft is provided which,under the effect of a drive mechanism, can take a receiving position inwhich an empty bobbin is delivered by the means for setting the bobbinsupright, as well as a presenting position in which the empty bobbin ispresented sothat its gripping head is in the path of the gripping hooks.

According to an advantageous form of the invention, I arrange thepivoting shaft of the tiltable element so that it is urged upwardly byelastic traction means, and the tiltable element comprises a stopelement cooperating with a fixed ramp oriented to oppose the action ofthese elastic traction means until the tiltable element has nearlyreached its presenting'position and is liberated from the fixed rampafter this position has been exceeded so that the tiltable element risesunder the action of the elastic traction means which urge the pivotingaxis upwards. Under these conditions, and when the tiltable elementreaches its presenting position, it feeds the empty bobbin to a positionin which it is stopped by the support of the endless conveyor.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important featuresof the invention in order that the detailed description thereof thatfollows may be better understood and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course,additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which thisdisclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designingof other structures for carrying out the several purposes of theinvention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded asincluding such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spiritand scope of the invention.

Specific embodiments of the invention have been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description, and are shown in the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of the specification wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the feeding device; and

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are views illustrating three different positions of thetiltable element shown in H6. 1.

In FIG. 1 part of the automatic bobbin changing apparatus l is shown,and this apparatus comprises an endless conveyor 2 which is carried by asupport and is placed along each spindle range (not shown), the endlessconveyor 2 carrying gripping hooks 4 at regular distances correspondingto-the distances between the spindles of the spindle range. Eachgripping hook 4 is able to cooperate with a gripping head 5 provided atthe upper end of each empty bobbin 6.

Furthermore, there is provided a loading station equipped so that agripping head 5 of an empty bobbin 6 is presented to each gripping hook4 passing on its level.

This loading station is fed with empty bobbins 6 by a feeding devicecomprising a reserve container 7 in which the empty bobbins 6 are storedin horizontal position, without any discrimination of the side on whichthe gripping head 5 is situated, and means 8 for setting the bobbinsupright so that their gripping heads 5 are situated upwardly of thebobbins. The means 8 for setting the bobbins upright may comprise twostop elements 9 and 10 by which an empty bobbin 6 is temporarilyretained by its gripping head 5.

Each empty bobbin 6 arriving at the level of the means 8 for setting thebobbins upright is temporarily retained by its gripping head 5cooperating with one or the other of the stop elements 9 or 10,depending on the way in which the empty bobbin 6 is presented, and thisbobbin then effects, under the influence of gravity, a pivoting movementabout its gripping head, and, finally, all bobbins leave the means 8 forsetting the bobbins upright in oriented condition so that their grippingheads 5 are directed upwardly.

The means 8 for setting the bobbins upright are advantageously providedin the upper part of the reserve container 7, and the empty bobbins 6are fed to the said means 8 by a cup elevator 11, the rising section ofwhich constitutes a lateral part of the reserve container 7, the cupelevator 11 being driven by motor 12, as will later be explained in moredetail. At the output end of the means 8, the bobbins fall into aninclined channel 13 in which they are transported by gravity.

According to the invention, the feeding device comprises bobbin carryingmeans in the form of a tiltable element 14 which is mounted on a pivotshaft 15 and which can take, under the action of a moving mechanism, areceiving position in which the tiltable element 14 can receive an emptybobbin 6 delivered by the means 8 for setting the bobbins upright, thereceiving position being such that the tiltable element 14 forms then anextension of the channel 13 (FIGS. 1 and 2); and a presenting positionin which the tiltable element 14 presents the empty bobbin 6 so that itsgripping head is in the path of the gripping hooks 4 (FIG. 4).

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the pivoting shaft 15 of the tiltableelement 14 is urged upwardly by means of elastic traction means 17, andthe tiltable element 14 comprises a stop element 18 cooperating with afixed ramp l9 oriented to oppose the action of these elastic tractionmeans 17 until a position of the tiltable element 14 very near to itspresenting position is reached. The topping element 18 is thereuponliberated from the fixed ramp 19 beyond this position so that thetiltable element 14 rises again under the action of the elastic tractionmeans 17 which urge the pivoting shaft 15 upwardly. Under theseconditions, and when the tiltable element 14 reaches its presentingposition, it leads the empty bobbin 6 towards the stop formed by thesupport 3 of the endless conveyor 2 which, at this location, presents asupport surface 3a.

For this purpose, the pivoting shaft 15 can be carried by one link orarm 20a of a bellcrank lever 20 having two links or arms, the leverbeing mounted in its center on a fixed pivot 21 and the other arm 20b ofwhich is urged downwardly by the elastic traction means 17, which areadvantageously constituted by a blade spring fixed at one end on thisarm 20b, and abutting at its other end against a pin 22.

The driving mechanism 16, which actuates the tiltable element 14, can beconstituted by a pneumatic double-action ram the body 23 of which ispivotally connected to a fixed part of the device and the piston rod 24of which is pivoted to the tiltable element 14 by means of a cap 25. Itis this cap which carries the stop element 18 which in turn may comprisea roller mounted free for rotation on the said cap.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in order to retain the empty bobbin 6 whichlies in the channel 13, this channel is equipped, towards its lower end,with a retaining pin 27 carried by a pivoting lever 28 and normallyurged by a spring 29 to protrude into the channel 13 to retain the emptybobbin 6. To permit passage of the empty bobbin 6 which is retained inthe channel 13 by the retaining pin 27, the tiltable element 14 isequipped with a projection 14a to exert pressure on the pivoting lever28 when the element 14 is in receiving position so that the retainingpin 27 is retracted.

It is important that the empty bobbin 6, which has just been seized by ahook, is sufficiently removed when a new empty bobbin is presented.Thus, I equip the feeding device so that, when the tiltable element isin presenting position, the empty bobbin 6 is slightly inclined, thegripping head 5 being directed forwardly. There must therefore beprovided maintaining means for preventing the empty bobbin 6 fromleaving the tiltable element 14 in forward direction under the effectsof gravity and inertia. Although elastic retaining means can be used, itis preferable to use, as maintaining means, a device 30 disposed in thetiltable element 14. This device 30 may advantageously consist of apneumatic double-action ram, the body 31 of which is fixed on thetiltable element 14 and the intermediate shaft 32 of which constitutesthe member which retains the empty bobbin 6 within the tiltable element14. As shown in FIG. 2, the device 30 is mounted on the tiltable element14 with a blade spring 26 which elastically maintains the empty bobbinwithin the said tiltable element.

The endless conveyor 2 is driven by a drive motor (not shown) carried bythe bobbin changing apparatus 1, the output shaft of the motor drivingthe endless conveyor via a cog-wheel transmission 33. This driving maybe effected at a speed of the order of 13 meters per minute, forexample, and is adapted to the various operatory phases of the automaticbobbin changing apparatus 1; however, this speed is too high for theoperatory phase consisting in loading the section of the endlessconveyor 2 with empty bobbins 6. Indeed. the speed of the endlessconveyor 2 should be approximately l meter per minute, i.e. 13 timesslower than its normal speed, for loading. it is preferable, rather thanusing a drive motor with variable speed or a speed varying device, toequip the feeding device with a fixed auxiliary motor 34 which isadapted for driving the endless conveyor 2 at the appropriate speed forloading the empty bobbins 6.

The cog-wheel transmission 33 of the bobbin changing apparatus 1furthermore comprises a coupling ferrule 35 for cooperating with acoupling ferrule 36 supported by the output shaft of the auxiliary motor34. One and/or the other of these two coupling ferrules 35, 36 isflexible for compensating the height variations of the bobbin changingapparatus 1 around its feeding position. These two coupling ferrules 35and 36 are connected by relative displacement, for example by displacingthe coupling ferrule 35 under the action of a pneumatic screwjack or ramcoaxial with the coupling of ferrule 36.

The function of the described feeding device is then effected by apneumatic distributor 37 (H6. 1) which is fed by a compressed air source38, and controlled by a detector 39, for example, of the electromagnetictype which delivers a signal during the passage of a gripping hook 4 atits level. Thus, if it is desired to trigger the operatory phaseconsisting in providing the sectionof the endless conveyor 2 with emptybobbins, the bobbin changing apparatus 1 is passed into'feed position,and an empty bobbin 6 lies in the tiltable element 14 of the feedingdevice (FIGS. 1 and 2).

The pneumatic distributor 37 is then acted upon to feed the ram of themotor mechanism 16 so that the tiltable element 14 ismoved from itsreceiving position into its presenting position, and to feed the ram ofthe device so that it maintains the empty bobbin 6 within the element14.

Simultaneously, the pneumatic distributor 37 on one hand feeds thescrew-jack or ram of the coupling ferrule 36 and, on the other hand,controls the activation of the motor 12 of the cup elevator 11 so thatthe said motor drives the cup elevator by one step," i.e.-by a distanceseparating two successive cups. For this purpose, the motor 12 may beconstituted by a doubleaction pneumatic ram 39 actuating a ratchet-wheel40.

This action of the pneumatic distributor 37 thus causes, on one hand,the coupling of the two coupling ferrules and 36, and the driving of theendless conveyor 2 at its loading speed and, on the other hand, thearrival of an empty bobbin 6 in the channel 13 where it is stopped bythe retaining pin 27 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

When a gripping hook 4 passes on the level of the detector 39, the samedelivers a signal which inverts the pneumatic distributor whichsimultaneously causes the feeding of the ram of the motor mechanism 16so that the tiltable element 14 is moved from its presenting position into receiving position, the feeding of the screwjack or ram ofthe device30 which frees the empty bobbin 6 and', finally, the feeding the ram ofmotor 12 which reloads the ratchet-wheel 40. During this operativephase, the coupling ferrules 35 and 36 remain in coupled position.

The tiltable element 14, after regaining its receiving position,depresses the retaining pin 27 which frees the empty bobbin next readyfor delivery in the channel 13, that empty bobbin being thereby placedin the tiltable element 14.

As soon as the gripping hook 4 has passed by the detector 39 and,therefore, has seized the empty bobbin which was presented to it, thepneumatic distributor 37 simultaneously causes the feeding of the ram ofthe motor mechanism 16 so that the tiltable element 14 is moved from itsreceiving position into its presenting position, the feeding of thescrew-jack or ram of device 30 which maintains the empty bobbin 6 in thetiltable element 14 and, finally, the feeding of the ram of motor 12which advances the ratchet-wheel 40 by one step and thus feeds a newempty bobbin 6 to the channel 13 where it is stopped by the retainingpin 27.

These operations are continued until the section of the endless conveyor2 is loaded with a pre-determined number of empty bobbins 6. At thismoment, the pneumatic distributor 37 is acted upon so that it is blockedin a position which corresponds to the receiving position ofthe tiltableelement 14. The coupling ferrules 35 and 36 are detached from eachother, for example by rotating the drive motor of the endless conveyor 2in reverse direction for a short time.

In order to control the function of such a feeding device, detectionmeans 41 can be provided which are equipped so that, on one hand, theyassure that an empty bobbin 6 is ready in the channel 13 and, on the 6other hand, that there is only one empty bobbin in the said channel. Forthis purpose, two sensitive elements with photoelectric cells can bedisposed on either side of the-channel l3, i.e. a lower sensitiveelement for detecting the presence of an empty bobbin 6 ready fordelivery and an upper sensitive element 43 for detecting the absence ofasecond empty bobbin above the empty bobbin 6 ready for delivery.

The mounting of the tiltable element 14 on the lever 20, urged by theelastic traction means 17, permits the empty bobbin 6 to pass under thesupport 3 ofthe endless conveyor 2. In FIG. 3, the chain line shows thetrajectory of the gripping head 5 of an empty bobbin 6, this trajectorybeing obtained by appropriate shape of the fixed ramp 19. i

From the foregoing description it will be seen that, because of thestructure of the feeding device, and especially because of the mountingof its tiltable element 14, a very safe transfer of the empty bobbins 6between their entry into the tiltable element 14 and their gripping bythe gripping hooks 4 is obtained. it will also be seen that the emptybobbins are softly gripped by the gripping hooks 4 and are subject topractically no swinging, and that the conditionsof gripping of the emptybobbins 6 do not depend on the height variations of the support 3 of theendless conveyor 2 about its feeding position.

i believe that the construction and operation of my novel bobbin feedingdevice will now be understood, and that its several advantages will befully appreciated by those persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for feeding empty bobbins each hav ing a head at oneend, to a bobbin changing device including spaced bobbin gripping meansand means for advancing same, means for orienting bobbins for engagementof the heads by the gripping means, bobbin carrying means mounted forpivotal movement between first and second positions and'adapted toreceive oriented bobbins from said orienting means when in said firstposition, drive means pivoting said carrying means to said secondposition to effect presentation of said bobbin heads to the advancinggripping means, means for urging the pivot axis of said carrying meansin a direction to complete presentation of the bobbins to the grippingmeans at the end of the excursion of said carrying means from said firstto second position, and retaining means rendering said urging meansineffective until said carrying means approaches its second position.

2. Apparatus according to claim I, wherein said urging means is a springand said retaining means comprises a ramp and means mounted for movementwith said carrying means and engaging said ramp until said carryingmeans approaches its second position.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said carrying means pivotsabout a shaft journalled in a link of a bellcrank, and said urging meansis a spring arranged to bear against the other link of said bellcrank torock same about a bellcrank axis to shift said shaft about which saidcarrying means pivots same approaches its second position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein pneumatically controlledmeans are mounted on said carrying means for maintaining bobbins in saidcarrying means during their excursions and presentation to the grippingmeans.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said pneumatically controlledmeans comprises a doubleacting pneumatic ram, the body of which is fixedon said carrying means and the piston rod of which constitutes the meansfor maintaining the empty bobbin in said carrying means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said drive means includes adouble-acting pneumatic ram, the body of which is pivoted to a fixedpart of the device and the piston rod of which is pivoted to thecarrying means, there being also provided a distributor connected with acompressed air source which supplies the pneumatic ram of the drivemechanism and said pneumatically controlled means, and a detector forcontrol; ling the distributor and adapted to sense each passage of agripping means and to actuate said distributor in turn to operate saidram.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said compressed air sourcealso operates said bolt controlling ram to retain a bobbin in saidcarrying means until same reaches its second position and then torelease the bobbin.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said orienting means include aholding channel for supporting oriented bobbins, said carrying meansadapted to receive oriented bobbins from said channel of which it is anextension when in its first position, and means are provided to blockpassage ofa bobbin from said channel when said carrying means is out ofits first position.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said blocking means comprisea pin mounted for pivotal movement, spring means normally urging saidpin into bobbin blocking position, and means pivoting said pin out ofblocking position against the force of said spring when said carryingmeans is in its first position.

1. In apparatus for feeding empty bobbins each having a head at one end,to a bobbin changing device including spaced bobbin gripping means andmeans for advancing same, means for orienting bobbins for engagement ofthe heads by the gripping means, bobbin cArrying means mounted forpivotal movement between first and second positions and adapted toreceive oriented bobbins from said orienting means when in said firstposition, drive means pivoting said carrying means to said secondposition to effect presentation of said bobbin heads to the advancinggripping means, means for urging the pivot axis of said carrying meansin a direction to complete presentation of the bobbins to the grippingmeans at the end of the excursion of said carrying means from said firstto second position, and retaining means rendering said urging meansineffective until said carrying means approaches its second position. 2.Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said urging means is a springand said retaining means comprises a ramp and means mounted for movementwith said carrying means and engaging said ramp until said carryingmeans approaches its second position.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said carrying means pivots about a shaft journalled in a link ofa bellcrank, and said urging means is a spring arranged to bear againstthe other link of said bellcrank to rock same about a bellcrank axis toshift said shaft about which said carrying means pivots as sameapproaches its second position.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein pneumatically controlled means are mounted on said carryingmeans for maintaining bobbins in said carrying means during theirexcursions and presentation to the gripping means.
 5. Apparatusaccording to claim 4, wherein said pneumatically controlled meanscomprises a double-acting pneumatic ram, the body of which is fixed onsaid carrying means and the piston rod of which constitutes the meansfor maintaining the empty bobbin in said carrying means.
 6. Apparatusaccording to claim 4, wherein said drive means includes a double-actingpneumatic ram, the body of which is pivoted to a fixed part of thedevice and the piston rod of which is pivoted to the carrying means,there being also provided a distributor connected with a compressed airsource which supplies the pneumatic ram of the drive mechanism and saidpneumatically controlled means, and a detector for controlling thedistributor and adapted to sense each passage of a gripping means and toactuate said distributor in turn to operate said ram.
 7. Apparatusaccording to claim 6, wherein said compressed air source also operatessaid bolt controlling ram to retain a bobbin in said carrying meansuntil same reaches its second position and then to release the bobbin.8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said orienting means includea holding channel for supporting oriented bobbins, said carrying meansadapted to receive oriented bobbins from said channel of which it is anextension when in its first position, and means are provided to blockpassage of a bobbin from said channel when said carrying means is out ofits first position.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein saidblocking means comprise a pin mounted for pivotal movement, spring meansnormally urging said pin into bobbin blocking position, and meanspivoting said pin out of blocking position against the force of saidspring when said carrying means is in its first position.